The spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis, is a species of bark beetle indigenous to North America, infesting all species of Picea. Normally present in relatively small numbers, spruce beetles are nonaggressive attackers, preferring weakened or downed material to healthy trees. However, under certain conditions, the tree killing potential of this forest pest can be devastating. Early detection of outbreaks associated with major stand disturbances is of the utmost importance in preventing high spruce mortality and commensurate volume losses. Traditional control methods are costly, both in manpower and equipment, and the benefits during extensive epidemics are localized and short-lived. Integrated pest management strategies using semiochemicals have been the subject of intense research, and are beginning to provide forest managers with new, effective tools for monitoring, trapping, and manipulating scolytid beetles.
Pheromones have shown variable success in manipulating certain Dendroctonus species. However, the response to pheromone formulations are species specific and must be determined on a species-to-species basis. For example, D. ponderosae has a different chemistry and responds to different semiochemicals than other species within the genus Dendroctonus. For this reason, attractants must be formulated individually for each particular species.